


Come Hell or High Water

by Ren86



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: F/M, Gen, References to Original Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-28
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-08-09 04:04:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16442633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ren86/pseuds/Ren86
Summary: Sarah Green had enough of waiting. Sammy Wes Lawrence was out there somewhere, possibly alone, possibly injured, and she was done waiting for a miracle. She'd find him, come hell or high water.Set in the Lost Black Sheep Universe by DisneyPhantomLover. An AU of an AU.





	1. Enough was Enough

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DisneyPhantomlover](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DisneyPhantomlover/gifts).



> Much of this won't make sense unless you know the extensive history these characters share. Originally posted to tumblr.

“I’m going, and that’s final! If he’s out there - if he’s  _alive_ \- I have to know, I have to see for myself!” The distraught woman all but screamed, hands rubbing at her eyes in a vain effort to wipe away the tears that never seemed to stop falling.

Sammy Wes Lawrence. The man she loved had gone missing nearly a year ago, the last place he was seen was going into that studio. That damn studio. And Sarah had tried to be patient. He had to come home! Surely he did… But as the days passed, turning into weeks, then months, with no word from him… Even the police were starting to close the case, saying if he hadn’t been found by now… well,  _if_  he was ever found, it wouldn’t be as a live person. But she couldn’t accept that! She just couldn’t…

“Sarah, you know you can’t go. Everyone who has gone there has vanished - what if you disappear too? What do I tell your parents? Your friends?” Abby sighed, approaching the other woman, taking her shaking hands with her own. “I know it hurts, love… God, I can’t imagine what you must be feeling. But you can’t go. I couldn’t forgive myself if something happen to you, too.”

Sarah managed a soft laugh. “Abby, this… it’s something I just have to do. And we’re not helpless, remember?” A look of shock crossed the blonde woman’s face as there was a brief glow that passed between their hands.

“Sarah… you can’t- we made a pact, remember?” When they arrived, they swore off anything to do with their powers, with their magic. It’d caused them nothing but heartache and trouble, and only once they had given it all up had they found peace, found their loves, found  _family._  But Sarah had lost it all again, and she was desperate.

“I know, Abby. I know…But I won’t forgive myself if I just drop this. Wes - Sammy - he wouldn’t have just…. left. He wouldn’t have! I need to know the truth. And I’ll go through hell and back if it means finding him. You’d do the same for Brent. You  _have_  done the same for Brent, even if this one doesn’t know it.”

There was a strength in Sarah’s eyes that Abby had only rarely seen. After everything the pair had gone through, they had both changed so much, and it was moments like this that reminded Abby of this. There were still nights when they both had nightmares, visions of fire and nuclear green, of screams and of worlds so far, far, far away. And they only had each other to rely on - none one else knew. Not even this world’s Daniel, Jen, Brent, or Wes. It was safer for them, this way.

And Abby remembered when she nearly destroyed a wasteland to find him. All the people she killed to reach Brent. How she clawed her way through that post-apoplectic hellhole to find him, any version of him. And now Abby she could see that same drive in the sweet, innocent woman that was Sarah. And she knew that there would be no stopping her. So with a sigh, Abby released Sarah’s hands. “…Alright. But I can’t let you go unprepared. Come home with me, first. I have something for you.”

Abby might not be able to stop Sarah from marching into Hell, but she was damn sure she’d prepare the her friend the best she could.

~

Sarah gaped at the contents of the shed. How long had Abby kept this hidden from Brent? “This Brent wouldn’t understand. He got lucky - never got involved with those ghosts, never had to Hunt. Having a small armory in the backyard would probably worry him.” Abby says with a small laugh. “Thankfully he respects my request to leave this shed alone.” There were more than a few weapons in small space of the shed. Handguns, shotguns, laser weapons from the wasteland. Pieces of old armor rested in piles on tables, some made of metal, some leather. Truthfully, most of this were relics from the past universes they had visited. But regardless of their past, Abby had a hard time letting them go. Better to be prepared should everything go to hell, right? After all, she had a family to protect now.

Walking over to a table, Abby picked up a small gun. A[ recharger pistol](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=http%3A%2F%2Ffallout.wikia.com%2Fwiki%2FRecharger_pistol&t=NTFkNDU0ZTQ1M2Q4ZWZmMjdmYTMzMTI1YTgwZWM0ZjNjNzY0ZGQyOCxFVFBza0k0bQ%3D%3D&b=t%3AAEE4NBWgQRBmni-ZcGBsDw&p=http%3A%2F%2Fjensstoriesandrp.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F179502348193%2Fdisneyphantomlover-oops-how-did-this-get-here&m=0) - perfect for Sarah. This way, Sarah didn’t have to worry about ammo, since it created its own, and it wasn’t heavy or cumbersome to use. Spinning around, Abby held the weapon over to Sarah. “Abby…?”

“You don’t know what you might face there. I just… I’ve got a bad feeling about that place. Like something’s not… right. Hopefully you won’t need this, but I’d sleep easier knowing you had it. It’s a recharger pistol I picked up back in New Vegas. You don’t need to worry about ammo or reloading - it makes its own over time.” Abby said, pushing the gun into her friend’s hands.

Sarah hesitated, but eventually took it, a wave of her hand rendering it nearly invisible as she hid it away in her purse. “I… alright. Thanks, Abby. If… If I’m not back by tomorrow night…”

“I know, Abby. I’ll let them know.”

“…Thank you.”

 

Not an hour later, Sarah found herself outside Sillyvision Studios. Once home of the cartoon characters Bendy, Boris, and Alice. Now it sat abandoned, the windows boarded up. It was late, the street deserted of people, and Sarah was standing in front of the door, staring at the knob. This was the moment of truth… Did she?

A pause.

Then a hand reached out and twisted the knob. Sure that the door would be locked, Sarah made a small noise of surprise when it soundlessly swung open, revealing the dark interior. “….Oh boy…” Gripping her purse tightly, she stepped inside, the door swinging shut closed behind her.

She hadn’t brought a flashlight, and so lit a small flame in her hand to light the way. The first thing she noticed, aside from the posters lining the walls, was that… something was leaking from the ceiling. Something dark and viscous. Sarah made a face and stepped around the small, growing puddle of… goo. Probably a pipe leaking, or mold, or something. Better not think too much about it.

It was quiet, she noted. There was some rattling, from what she didn’t know (wouldn’t all the pipes and such have been turned off already?), but other than that, it was silent.

Despite the bad feeling crawling along Sarah’s back, she pushed forward.

 

What seemed like hours passed, Sarah wandering the seemingly empty halls. It wasn’t until she found the music department that she stopped to rest. Finding Wes’ old office was easy, Sarah slipping into the room and closing the door behind her.

There was no sign of Wes yet. But she wasn’t going to give up hope. She was going to find him, come hell or high water.


	2. The Studio

Sarah didn’t know how much time had passed since she first stepped through the doors of Sillyvision Studios. At one point she’d fallen asleep, holed up in Wes’ old office. From her spot on the floor, she could watch a puddle slowly begin to form, that weird liquid dripping from the ceiling in slow, steady drips. Seriously, that stuff was  _weird_. Black and viscous and almost kind of inky? What was it, anyways? Oil? It didn’t smell like oil. It didn’t catch fire like oil (okay so maybe that hadn’t been her best idea but hey, she had magic! It would have been fine. Probably.).

And the weird oil-ink-stuff wasn’t the only weird thing around here… Outside the office, Sarah swore she could occasionally hear movement. Shuffling, or maybe footsteps. It was too loud to be rats. But surely it wasn’t people… This place was abandoned! And she would have heard talking if it was people anyways, right?

No, there was something else out there. She was sure of it. Which is why she was hiding on the far side of the room. Even with her magic and the gun Abby gave her, Sarah wasn’t brave enough to venture outside just yet (even after everything she’d gone through, Sarah was still apparently a bit of a weenie). Besides, she was tired. Wandering for hours was killing her feet and legs, and she needed a rest. So she had pulled out a little sandwich she had packed, a tumbler of water, and nestled in for a snack and a nap.

It was a voice that awoke Sarah, a loud and desperate one.  _“Please my Lord!! I’ve done what you’ve asked, I’ve never left, I’ve stayed I’ve watched just….Please. Please deliver us…”_ That voice - !! She knew that voice! Sarah’s heart leaped into her throat - that was Wes! The voice was faint, yes, and it sounded like it was far away from her location, but she’d know his voice anywhere!

Bolting up off the floor, Sarah grabbed her purse and swung it over her shoulder, all but leaping across the room and throwing open the door. She didn’t know where she was going but damn it she wasn’t going to let that stop her!

Outside, the head of a searcher looked up and saw her. Sarah froze. What… what was  _that?!_ It stared at her a moment longer, and at first Sarah thought it might be passive. Then it reared up and lunged, and she screamed.

~~

A scream echoed through the studio, jerking Sammy out of his prayers. He - that voice - it made a surge of panic flow through his chest, a sudden urge to get up, to run, to find the voice and help - 

Why? He  _knew_  that voice, but how? It wasn’t his Savoir’s but it was familiar all the same. So he pushed himself up off the floor, tucked the book he had found under his arm, and began to walk.

~~

A flash of light and another scream, Sarah flying back from the unexpected kick of the gun. The searcher screamed and hissed before falling to the floor, dissolving into a puddle of ink. Sarah could only stare at where it had been, shaking hands dropping the gun before she sank to her knees.

She’d - it’d - oh god. Sarah felt sick. What had that thing been? A monster? This world… it didn’t have magic. She’d be able to feel it. But that thing… it had twisted the air around it, felt sick and wrong. Like it wasn’t supposed to exist. And… and if Wes really was here…

Oh god.

What if that had been him?

Sarah didn’t know what to believe. Logically she knew it was unlikely that that thing had been Wes. But… it had to have come from somewhere, right? Where had that thing come from? Where had all this gooey ink-not-ink stuff come from?

_What had happened here?_

She didn’t even realize she was crying until the drops splashed on the floor beneath her. Reaching a hand up, she wiped at her face. Ink had splashed on her, streaking across her face and hair. She could only imagine what kind of mess she must look like. But that didn’t matter now. Not when… not when Wes could still be out there. Could be hurt, could be turned into some weird inky monster….

Lost in her own thoughts, Sarah didn’t hear the footsteps coming up behind her.


	3. Sammy

It was a woman. Crouched on the floor, a puddle of ink in front of her. Her shoulders were shaking, and he could hear soft sobs coming from her. Sammy Wes stared at her back, his inky heart twisting in on itself. Why did hearing her cry hurt so much…?

Stepping closer, he reached out to her. She stilled, and it was only then that he realized he was speaking. “Shh, shh - it’s okay…” And out of all the ways she could have reacted, he did not expect her to turn her head with wide and fearful eyes, and scream.

~~

There was something behind her. Sarah could hear it. Heavy footsteps drew closer, and she could hear it speaking…. with Wes’ voice. But… something didn’t feel right. So slowly she turned her head, too see, and what she saw made her scream.

A man of inky-black stood there, a mask of a cartoon hiding his face. Sarah all but threw herself in the other direction, scrambling up off the floor and stumbling away, grabbing the gun on her way. “St-stay back!” Spinning around, she leveled the gun at him, her arms and hands shaking. In fact, most of her was shaking. She couldn’t see the expression on his face - it was hidden by that weird mask - but it didn’t matter.

She wouldn’t let herself be hurt. Not when she still had to find Wes.

The man tilted his head, shoulders tense. He… he knew this voice. Flashes of his past, brown hair and laughter and cats curling up on his lap. Of late night snuggling and lingering kisses.

_Sarah._

“H-how did you know my name?!” Oh - he must have said it out loud. “Who are you?” She asked, not taking the gun off him.

He still remembered his name. Taking slow steps, he reached for her. “I’m - I’m - Sammy Lawrence.” His hands hit her shoulders, ink seeping into her dress.

The gun clattered to the ground once more.


	4. A Savior?

The cold ink was seeping into her dress. Sarah could feel it, sticky and icky, as it spread from where his hands were. His fingers were digging into the fabric, she could feel it, and she could feel his gaze on her - even if she couldn’t really make out a face behind that mask.

“W-wes…?” Her voice was barely a whisper, disbelief obvious in her voice. There was - there was no way! He couldn’t be - what had happened to him?! Before her mind could get very far with its questioning, Sarah let out a squeak as she was suddenly pulled forward, face plastered against an inky chest as arms wrapped around her.

He was shaking, and Sarah could feel something wet hit the top of her head. Looking up, she made a face when a large tear of ink hit her, obscuring her vision. Wiggling a hand free from the arms that encircled her, Sarah tried to wipe the ink away.

She thought she would have been overjoyed to find him. Ecstatic, even. But… she was just confused. “Wes, Wes - shhh, it’s okay.” Reaching up, she gently pushed the mask aside, her hands going to the smooth inky face. At first she thought it was feature-less, but after a moment of wiping the ink away, she found a familiar face underneath. Greyed and ink-streaked, yes, but familiar all the same. “There you are.” She smiled, heart flipping at the sight of his face. It really was him!

For a moment, Sarah was reminded of that dark night, all those years ago. When she and Wes had embraced in the rain, both of them soaked. Only now, instead of cold rain, it was ink that clung to her hair, her face, her clothes. He leaned over and kissed her forehead, leaving an ink stain behind. “It’ll be okay now - we can go home now Wes!”

It was then that Wes frowned, pulled away. “Sarah… I can’t leave. I’ve tried. But! But my Savior - he’ll save me, save  _us_  - and then we can!” What - what was he talking about? A Savior? 

“Wes, what do you mean?”

“Bendy, Sarah - Bendy’s coming, and he’ll save us.”

~

What had happened to him? What could have caused him to become like this? Had he snapped in this place? Worried eyes watched him, concern growing as the ink began to drop over his face, obscuring much of it once more. It was then that Sarah realized that, whatever had happened to Wes in here, it had changed him dramatically. And it was possible that it wasn’t something that she could heal.

“Wes… Bendy’s just a cartoon.” Well, there was always the off chance Creator Shenanigans were afoot, but Sarah truly doubted it. This world had been far too calm so far for that. “C’mon Wes, let’s get you cleaned up - you’ll feel loads better with all that icky stuff off you!” Reaching into her purse, she made as if she was pulling out a rag (really she just summoned one), and approached him with it.

Only, he stepped back. “Wes…?” Concern laced her voice.

Suddenly, he looked at her, stretching out a hand towards her. “Come with me, Sarah. I’ve something to show you.” And, after a moment’s hesitation, she took his hand.

~~

Sarah could feel the ink seeping into the back of her dress, and did her best to ignore it. It was part of Wes now, so she tried to accept it. Seated on the floor of his sanctuary, her back against his chest, his arms wrapped around her as he peppered the top of her head with little kisses. In her lap was a book Wes had given her, explaining that it was the solution to all his problems.

Demon sacrifice, summoning, magic Ink Machines… It reminded her too much of experiments gone wrong back in Belwall. Of poor Daniel. And the longer she stayed in that studio, the more she realized she could feel the familiar, if faint, feeling of magic. It hummed through the studio walls, in the ceiling and the floor. Even in the ink. It was more than a little concerning.

But for the moment, all she could do was listen to Wes talk about how Bendy was going to save him, save all of them (were their more in the studio?). Tired, heavy eyes threatened to close, and more than once her head lulled back against his inky chest.

When he noticed her fighting sleep, he nuzzled against her hair. “Rest, Darling. I’ll be here when you wake.” He said, voice soft. She smiled, letting her eyes close.

And, just as she felt herself slipping away, she could hear Wes singing softly…

_“Sheep, sheep, sheep, it’s time for sleep._

_Rest your head, it’s time for bed._

_In the morning, you may wake….”_


	5. The End

_Pain._

That was the first thing she felt. White hot, searing, scorching, all-consuming pain. She tried to scream, tried to cry out, and found it impossible. Restrained, blinded. Panic surged through her. Then, a voice. A  _familiar_  voice.

Wes?!

Again she tried to cry out and found her voice gone. Then there was a pressure, a touch. “Sshhh, Sarah. Darling, it’s alright. It’ll be over soon.” His hand was stroking her face, she could feel it. Sarah jerked, or tried to, body squirming. “Sshhh, Darling. It’s okay. This was the… it was the only way to save you. You’ll be safe now, and we can be together.” Lips, pressing against her forehead, and his hand, wiping tears that fell from her eyes.

Then, nothingness took over once again.

Sarah didn’t know where she was. In the studio, probably, but where she had no clue. Or what was happening. Was Wes trying to do something? Make her like him, maybe? How would that even work? What about her magic? Surely that would interfere with it…

And interfere it did. Transforming a normal person, the Ink Machine could do. But Sarah wasn’t a normal person. She was flesh and blood and  _magic_. Magic, real magic, true magic, was never meant to touch the Ink Machine.

So really, no one should be surprised when, one day, the machine nearly exploded while Sarah was still deep inside.

Panic gripped Wes - he didn’t know about Sarah’s powers, so all he could do was watch helplessly as it smoked and sputtered and threatened to come apart at the seams. All he could do was pray.

Days passed, then a week, then two. And every day, Wes had to deal with the very real possibility that he had just killed the woman he loved in his deranged effort to ‘save’ her.

Then, one day, late at night, a horrendous noise ripped through the studio, a metallic screeching that shook the core of anyone who heard it. A human cry followed, coughing and spitting and crying echoing from the Ink Machine room.

When Wes came crashing through the door, he found Sarah. His lovely, darling, wonderful Sarah, on the ground, out cold. She looked absolutely perfect - except for one thing.

She was now a perfect greyscale.

There was no ink dripping from her skin, nor crawling along her body. She looked exactly as she did going in except for that one thing. Wes could only stare in awe, in pure adoration of the woman who was slowing rousing.

Sarah blinked, noticing right away something was… off. Everything was grey. Shades of grey everywhere. Memories were hazy, but she remembered… being trapped? Somewhere? And that Wes had been the cause. In a fit of madness, insanity, or just a lapse of judgement she did not know.

In front of her were familiar pants-legs, and she could just make out the bare toes wiggling underneath. They were covered in ink, the pants stained beyond repair. And as she looked up slowly, she saw the now-familiar form of the inky man known as Sammy Wes. “…Wes? What… what happened?”

“You’ve been Blessed, Sarah. You’ll be safe now.” And he reached down to gently help her up. She’d be safe now. Safe from the forces outside, safe from anyone who threatened to harm her, him, or anyone else in that studio.

He just never accounted for one Henry Ross.


End file.
